Torpedo-placer



(No Model.)

G. E. HOPKINS.

TORPEDO PLACER.

Patented June 6., 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. HOPKINS, OF BELLAIRE, OHIO.

TORPEDO-PLACER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 499,116, dated June 6, 1893.

\ Application filed September 9, 1892. fierial No. 445,442. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. HOPKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bellaire, in the county of Belmont and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Torpedo-Placers, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I is a front elevation of my improved apparatus for attaching torpedoes to railway rails; Fig. II, a side elevation of the same; Fig. III, a rear elevation; Fig. IV, a sectional view on line m a; of Fig. I; Fig. V, a perspective view of a torpedo about to be released from the apparatus; Fig. VI, a View of a torpedo attached to a railway rail, and Fig. VII, a side elevation of the extensible handle of the apparatus.

My invention relates to an improved apparatus for attaching explosive signals to railway rails and its object is to provide a simple, effective and reliable device whereby torpedoes may beplaced upon and securely attached to the rails from a train while in motion by an operative standing 011 the rear platform of the rear car of a train.

The peculiar construction and operation of the device will be understood by referring to the accompanying drawings in which 2 designates the base of the instrument having downwardly projecting side wings 3, which serve to guide the apparatus to the proper position in the process of placing the torpedo on a rail. The wings also act as shields to protect the swinging arms which carry the torpedo, from injury that may be caused by obstructions lying near the rails. The shafts of the adjusting cranks at extend through the base and are securely attached to swinging arms 5 which are provided with horizontal fingers or torpedo holders 6. The cranks are normally held in open position by springs 7. A slidingbolt 8 extends upwardly through the center of the base and bears against a spiral spring 9. A sliding plate 10 is attached to the bolt by screws 11 and has a T head provided with notches m adapted to engage the studs 12 on the cranks when the instrument is adjusted for service. The torpedo 13 is provided on top with a keeper 1 1 forming a guide for the lapped ends of the sheet metal spring clasps 15 which are connected one to the other by a spiral spring 16.

The extensible handles 17 and 21 may be readily made of two sections of iron or brass pipe of different sizes and is easily shortened or lengthened as required. The inner pipe 17 is provided with a longitudinal groove 18 terminating at each end in cavities 19 which engage the spring latch 20 attached to the outer section. The cavities 19 at the extremities of the groove are deeper than the groove so that when the handle is extended the nose of the spring latch enters the lower cavity. The tubes are thus interlocked and secured against either rotary or longitudinal movement making the handle equivalent to a solid or continuous structure. The device may thus be conveniently handled by an operative standingeither on the platform of a car or on the road bed. When the instrument is not in use the spring engages the up per cavity and the machine is thus made conveniently portable.

The operation of my device will be readily understood. The fingers 6 are introduced Within the bends of the spring clasps. The cranks 4: are turned inwardly until they engage the notches in the T head of the sliding plate 10. The arms 5 are thus drawn apart as shown in Fig. 5, and the clasps are retained on the fingers by the tension of the spring 16 and also by notches 21 formed on the ends of the fingers 6. In order to attach the torpedo, the operative holds the instrument vertically over the rail. Havingthe wings 3 for a guide, the desired position is easily found and the instrument is allowed to drop gently on the rail which strikes the lower projecting end of the sliding bolt 8. The crank levers are thus disengaged from the T head, the arms 5 spring inwardly, the spring 13 reacts, the spring clasps are released from the fingers and grasp the head of the rail as seen in Fig. 6.

What I claim as new is 1. In an apparatus for attaching torpedoes to railway rails the herein described extensible handle in combination with the dependent wings or guides, the adjusting cranks and the torpedo holder or fingers governed by the action of the said cranks, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. In an apparatus for attaching torpedoes to railway rails the combination of the herein described extensible handle with the dependent wings or guides, the adjusting cranks, the torpedo holders, the vertically sliding spring bolt, the sliding plate connected therewith and provided with a T head, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

3. In an apparatus for attaching torpedoes to railway rails the herein described extensible handle made in two parts, the inner having a longitudinal groove ending in cavities, and the outer having a spring latch, in (30111- bination with a torpedo provided with spring clasps adapted to engage the torpedo holders, and when released therefrom to grasp the x 5 railway rail, substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand, this 13th day of August, 1892, in the presence of witnesses.

GEORGE E. HOPKINS. Witnesses:

M. NELSON, R. L. HOPKINS. 

